Joe Brownell serves as the Director of the Military and Veteran Success Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The Center serves over 1240 Military-Dependent, Veteran, Active Duty, Guard, and Reserve students annually and is committed to ensure all students achieve their academic and career goals.

Prior to coming to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Col (R) Brownell served almost 29 years in the United States Air Force. He last served in the U.S. Air Force as the Deputy Chair for the Strategic Leadership Department at the Dwight D. Eisenhower School, National Defense University, where he taught Strategic Leadership, Educational Industry Study, and additional Leadership electives. The Eisenhower School is a senior service school providing graduate level education to senior members of the U.S. armed forces, government civilians, foreign nationals and private industry.

Joe is a 1989 distinguished graduate of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice. He is a Master Navigator and has flown multiple combat and combat-support missions in the Balkans and the Middle East. Joe is a graduate of Army Command and General Staff College and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. He has served on staffs at the Air Force Personnel Center, U.S. Northern Command, and U.S. Transportation Command. He earned a Master of Public Administration degree from Troy State University and a Master of National Resource Strategy degree from The Industrial College of the Armed Forces at the National Defense University.

Joe’s spouse Kim is a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Kearney, his daughter Bradyn is a 2017 graduate of UNL, and his son Clay is currently a sophomore at the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Deb Quinn born, raised and educated in the great state of Nebraska. In August 2001, she started at the University of Nebraska in Registration and Records, gaining experience with Enrollment in Classes, Student Records, College Degree Majors - Advisor Changes (CDMA), Transcripts, Degree Audits (DARS) and Certification of Enrollment.

In August 2003, she became the school’s Veteran Certifying Official assisting Veterans, Service Members and Dependents to receive their VA Education Benefits in the Montgomery GI Bill® and in 2009 the POST 9/11 programs.

When Deb and her husband Mike aren’t spending time with their 6 children, 12 grandchildren and one great-grandchild, they enjoy hunting, fishing, reading and sharing time with friends.

Thomas Allison joined the Military and Veteran Success Center as the Senior Advisor and Program Coordinator in 2019 after working as a Senior Career Adviser in Career Services at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln since 2005. Tom brings over 25 years of professional experience in planning and implementing programs and advising students on academic and career development to the MVSC.

He is a Certified Federal Job Search Trainer and Counselor, specializing in assisting those searching and applying for positions within the federal government and is also a Veteran Certifying Official with Veterans Affairs. Tom earned a Master of Education in Educational Administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Midland College located in Fremont, Nebraska.

Tom grew up as an Air Force dependent living in England, North Dakota and California before his dad’s final assignment in Nebraska. He has traveled to more than a dozen countries including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Columbia, Liberia and Kenya. He and his wife Stacey enjoy cheering on the Huskers with their son Reid.

Natalie Frederick serves as Military and VA Benefits Specialist and Program Coordinator for the Military and Veteran Success Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Natalie received an Associates of Arts degree from North Central Missouri College in Trenton and a Bachelor of Science in Education degree from Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville. Prior to moving to Lincoln, she served as an English, speech, drama, theatre, journalism, and debate teacher, as well as cheerleading coach, at Gallatin High School in Missouri then as an English and speech teacher, librarian, youth counselor, and Scream Team coach at Clarinda Academy in Iowa.

She has been employed at UNL ever since, first working as a Curriculum Specialist in TRIO Programs then as a Dispatcher with UNLPD. She took some time off during COVID and is glad to be back working with students on campus again. When she’s not in the MVSC, she enjoys traveling, attending concerts, going to movies, watching sports, playing games, trying new restaurants and food trucks, and spending time with her family, dogs, and friends.